Oct 9, 2008

Every year for Vinayaka Chathurthi, when I have to make kozhukattai, I blindly follow Mrs. Mallika Badrinath's recipe from her book Traditional sweets. Though the recipe sounds easy, it takes a little practice when it comes to making a cup out of the rice flour dough. A little practice and patience, but worth the effort. Here is her recipe. I have re-written the recipe in my own words with very little alterations to the original reicpe.

Ingredients:

Dough:

Rice flour - 1 cup

Water - 1 and quarter cup

Oil - 1 teaspoon

Salt - less than quarter teaspoon

Note: For rice flour I used the regular rice flour available in the Indian grocery store. Authentic kozhukattai is made of pounded rice flour called Kai kuthal arisi maavu in tamil. It is prepared thus. Soak rice for one hour in water. Drain water through colander and dry by spreading over a towel under shade for one and half hours. Pound it to a fine powder. Sieve it. Allow to dry under shade for another one day. Keep in dry air-tight container and use whenever required.

Coconut filling:

Grated fresh coconut ( or shredded fresh coconut on the frozen secion in the Indian grocery store) - 1 cup

Remove from heat and allow it to cool down completely before stuffing it into the kozhukattai.

Do the filling first and get ready the dough. By the time the dough is done the filling will be cooled off.

Dough:

Heat water in a heavy bottomed kadai. Add salt and oil to the boiling water.

When the water starts bubbling, reduce the heat and pour the rice flour in the center as a heap. Insert a ladle and close with a lid leaving little gap.

Reduce the heat and cook for seven to ten minutes. Turn off the heat and stir the rice flour dough quickly without lumps.

Let the dough cool down a little. When it is still luke warm knead well to a smooth dough using little water to sprinkle if necessary. Apply oil the hands at the end while kneading.

Make small lemon sized balls out of the dough.

Making kozhukattai:

Using thumb and forefinger, flatten the edges first and gradually shape it like a cup carefully turning and pressing with equal pressure on all sides. A picture is thousand words and a video is a thousand picture. Click here to see how to shape the dough into a cup.

Keep little filling and fold it to seal well. Use the fork edge and press in the sides to form a design.

Arrange on a greased idli plate and steam cook for seven to ten minutes. Serve luke warm. Be careful while eating when it is still hot. The filling will be very very hot.